Izabal Agro-Forest was created to manage sustainable tropical agro-forestry projects in Central America. Our client list includes: The American Bird Conservancy (ABC), LUSH cosmetics, Rainforest Alliance, Dalberg Catalyst, LUSH cosmetics, and private family offices.

Although it was officially incorporated in 2014, IAF’s research and silvicultural knowledge is based on over 20 years of experience in forest management. Since 1992, its team has established, managed and harvested several species of tropical hardwoods in Guatemala’s lake Izabal basin.  These projects have replaced and continue to replace grazing lands with forest, returning the rainforest that was cleared over the past century for cattle grazing.

IAF team-members comprise agronomists, tropical foresters, local managers, financial analysts and foundation workers.  Our mission is to develop a financially rewarding, socially responsible enterprise that takes advantage of the growing demand and increasing prices for Green, sustainably grown, certified tropical hardwoods and high-quality cacao beans.

 

IAF has researched and experimented over 30 tropical hardwood species.  We look for good biological growth, responsiveness to silviculture, soil/site aptitude and adequacy as an over-story crop.  These include, but are not limited to:

Overstory

– Genuine mahogany/ Swietenia macrophylla

– Rosewood/ Dalbergia Stevensonii

– Teak/ Tectona grandis

– Cocobolo/ Dalbergia Retusa

– Hormigo/ Platymiscium Dimorpandrun

Understory

– Cacao/ Theobroma cacao (Heirloom and commercial)

– Vanilla/ planifolia & pamplona

– Black pepper/ Piperaceae

– Coconut/ Cocos nucifera

– Livestock